R3: 2% of GDP towards a safer Europe

Global events once again confirm the need for a strong security policy. Unfortunately, soft, democratic policies have not worked, as a result of which we have in recent years seen armed aggressions, acts of terrorism, and the outbreak of full-scale war in Europe. This once again underlines the need for a clear response, solidarity on the issue of collective security and peace, and a strong position on defense and security policy, as well as the evolution of the NATO alliance.

Global events once again confirm the need for a strongcooperative security policy. Unfortunately, soft, democratic policies have not worked, as a result of which we have in recent years seen armed aggressions, acts of terrorism, and the outbreak of full-scale war in Europe. This once again underlines the need for a clear response, solidarity on the issue of collective security and peace, and the development of a strong position oncommon European defense and security policy, as well as the evolution of the NATO alliancecapacity.

For years the Baltic States and Poland have raised their concerns about a potential Russian invasion, which were mostly ignored and dismissed as paranoia. After the terroristic and fascist Russian regime, led by Vladimir Putin, annexed Crimea and the de facto occupation of the Donbas and Luhansk regions in 2014, the Baltic States and Poland increased their military spending to at least 2% of the GDP. Following this, however, the majority of NATO member states, particularly those situated further away from Russia, there were no discussions of increasing their military spending to 2% of their GDP as mandated by NATO statutes. For example, Germany has pledged to increase their spending to 2% of its GDP until 2031, which is way past the 2024 deadline.

For years the Baltic States and Poland have raised their concerns about a potential Russian invasion, which were mostly ignored and dismissed as paranoia. After the terroristic and fascist Russian regime, led by Vladimir Putin, annexed Crimea and the de facto occupation of the Donbas and Luhansk regions in 2014, the Baltic States and Poland increased their military spending to at least 2% of the GDP. Following this, however, the majority of NATO member states, particularly those situated further away from Russia, there were no discussions of increasing their military spending to 2% of their GDP as mandated by NATO statutes. For example, Germany has pledged to increase their spending to 2% of its GDP until 2031, which is way past the 2024 deadline., an indicator FYEG criticizes for being overly simplistic and for encouraging unsustainable growth.

While Western countries continued flirting with Vladimir Putin just to continue importing Russian fossil fuels, those countries which had previously been exposed to the horrors of Russian imperialism, started preparing for the worst, while continuing to support Ukraine from Russia's war against them.

Moreover, Germany kept building the Nord Stream 2 fossil gas pipe from Russia to Germany, while Ukraine, Poland, and the Baltic States were opposed to it due to increased Russian influence. The partial Russian occupation of Ukraine had almost completely disappeared from the public eye until Russia started yet another invasion in early 2022.

Moreover, Germany kept building the Nord Stream 2 fossil gas pipepipeline from Russia to Germany, while Ukraine, Poland, and the Baltic States were opposed to it due to increased Russian influence. The partial Russian occupation of Ukraine had almost completely disappeared from the public eye until Russia started yet another invasion in early 2022.

Furthermore, many NATO and EU countries continued to export their weapons to Russia after the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. Germany and France exported weapons worth more than 270 million euros. France's exports to Russia even increased significantly in 2015, a year after Russia annexed the Crimea peninsula. Czechia, Bulgaria, Italy, Slovakia, Finland, Spain, and Croatia also continued to export weapons, spare parts, and vehicles to the Russian military.

Furthermore, many NATOmember states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and EU countriesmember states of the European Union (EU) continued to export their weapons to Russia after the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. Germany and France exported weapons worth more than 270 million euros. France's exports to Russia even increased significantly in 2015, a year after Russia annexed the Crimea peninsula. Czechia, Bulgaria, Italy, Slovakia, Finland, Spain, and Croatia also continued to export weapons, spare parts, and vehicles to the Russian military.

The Ukrainian resistance held up against the relentless terroristic onslaught of Russian occupiers. Despite Ukraine’s heroic resistance, without the influx of new weaponry, Ukraine cannot hold. It is thus necessary that Ukraine will be supplied with weapons to continue its counter-offensives against the Russian war criminals. Sadly, a big part of NATO countries, especially Germany, are unwilling to aid Ukraine. Since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian troops have launched missile and air attacks on military and civilian infrastructure. People around the world asked NATO member states and Ukraine-friendly countries to close the airspace over Ukraine to improve air and missile attacks and protect civilian cities in Ukraine. However, this request was ignored with the argument “if NATO closes the skies over Ukraine, it will consider the alliance's step into the war”It is thus necessary that Ukraine will be supplied with weapons to continue its counter-offensives against the Russian war criminals.

The Ukrainian resistance held up against the relentless terroristic onslaught of Russian occupiers. Despite Ukraine’s heroic resistance, without the influx of new weaponry, Ukraine cannot hold. It is thus necessary that Ukraine will be supplied with weapons to continue its counter-offensives against the Russian war criminals. Sadly, a big part of NATO countries, especially Germany, are unwilling to aid Ukraine. Since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian troops have launched missile and air attacks on military and civilian infrastructure. People around the world asked NATO member states and Ukraine-friendly countries to close the airspace over Ukraine to improve air and missile attacks and protect civilian cities in Ukraine. However, this request was ignored with the argument “if NATO closes the skies over Ukraine, it will consider the alliance's step into the war”

The Ukrainian resistance held up against the relentless terroristic onslaught of Russian occupiers. Despite Ukraine’s heroic resistance, without the influx of new weaponry, Ukraine cannot hold. It is thus necessary that Ukraine will be supplied with weapons to continue its counter-offensives against the Russian war criminals. Sadly, a big part of NATO countries, especially Germany, are unwilling to aid Ukraine. Since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian troops have launched missile and air attacks on military and civilian infrastructure. People around the world asked NATO member states and Ukraine-friendly countries to close the airspace over Ukraine to improve air and missile attacks and protect civilian cities in Ukraine. However, this request was ignored with the argument “if NATO closes the skies over Ukraine, it will consider the alliance's step into the war”

The lack of a collective regulatory mechanism has allowed individual NATO members to exploit the alliance for their own interests, which in turn has resulted in criminal actions in the Middle East and other counties. Now this has led to weak support for Ukraine, provoking a difficult political and security situation for countries in Eastern Europe, the Baltics, and the Nordic countries, which are close to Ukraine and the Russian Federation

The lack of a collective regulatory mechanism has allowed individual NATO members to exploit the alliance for their own interests, which in turn has resulted in criminal actions in the Middle East and other counties. Now this has led to weak support for Ukraine, provoking a difficult political and security situation for countries in Eastern Europe, the Baltics, and the Nordic countries, which are close to Ukraine and the Russian Federation

The Baltic States and Poland have been the biggest supporters of Ukraine during this invasion, this may be attributed to their military budget exceeding the 2% baseline set by NATO. Estonia has provided Ukraine military support of about 0.8% of their GDP, Latvia 0.7%, Poland 0.2%, and Lithuania – 0.1%, while Germany has given only 0.01% of their GDP in military aid. This means the Baltic States and Poland are the 4 biggest contributors of military aid to Ukraine in NATO.

The Baltic States and Poland have been the biggest supporters of Ukraine during this invasion, this may be attributed to their military budget exceeding the 2% baseline set by NATO. Estonia has provided Ukraine military support of about 0.8% of their GDP, Latvia 0.7%, Poland 0.2%, and Lithuania – 0.1%, while Germany has given only 0.01% of their GDP in military aid. This means the Baltic States and Poland are the 4 biggest contributors of military aid to Ukraine in NATO.. Estonia has provided Ukraine military support of about 0.8% of their GDP, Latvia 0.7%, Poland 0.2%, and Lithuania – 0.1%, while Germany has given only 0.01% of their GDP in military aid. These discrepancies in the support for Ukraine standing up against the Russian invasion are worrying and are an expression of lacking European solidarity. In order to strengthen European solidarity and with the aim to build European defense capacities, in particular to protect Eastern European countries against aggressions of Vladimir Poutin’s regime in the Russian Federation, FYEG calls to urgently build a strong and resilient European Defense Mechanism. It would be articulated by strengthening the cooperation between military forces of European countries and by providing defense support to the countries exposed to the most immediate threats. Given the atrocities committed by forces under NATO command, the reliance on NATO of some European countries for their defense is not sustainable. FYEG therefore urges not only national governments to find alternative defense solutions to the NATO, but also demands that a European Defense Mechanism is set up as quickly as possible. Whereas the EU could play an essential role, it is vital that this mechanism is not limited to EU member states, but is open to every European country except for the Russian Federation.

Even though FYEG acknowledges the war crimes committed by NATO countries in the Middle East and in other countries, we call for the strengthening of NATO as a defensive organization to protect its eastern flank. Therefore, we call for NATO member states to increase their military spending to 2%, not only to assist Ukraine in its war against the war criminals and terrorists from Russia but also to properly protect countries that are under the biggest threat of Russian imperialism. Moreover, FYEG supports Finland and Sweden’s wishes to join NATO, as that will make the Baltic Sea region safer.

Even though FYEG acknowledges the war crimes committed by NATO countries in the Middle East and in other countries, we call for the strengthening of NATO as a defensive organization to protect its eastern flank. Therefore, we call for NATO member states to increase their military spending to 2%, notNot only to assist Ukraine in its war against the war criminals and terrorists from Russia but also to properly protect countries that are under the biggest threat of Russian imperialism. Moreover, FYEG supports Finland and Sweden’s wishes to join NATO, as that will make the Baltic Sea region safer.

Even though FYEG acknowledges the war crimes committed by NATO countries in the Middle East and in other countries, we call for the strengthening of NATO as a defensive organization to protect its eastern flank. Therefore, we call for NATO member states to increase their military spending to 2%, not only to assist Ukraine in its war against the war criminals and terrorists from Russia but also to properly protect countries that are under the biggest threat of Russian imperialism. Moreover, FYEG supports Finland and Sweden’s wishes to join NATO, as that will make the Baltic Sea region safer and condemn any obstruction and manipulation by others in realizing the right of these countries to join the alliance.

Even though FYEG acknowledges the war crimes committed by NATO countries in the Middle East and in other countries, we call for the strengthening of NATO as a defensive organization to protect its eastern flank. Therefore, we call for NATO member states to increase their military spending to 2%, not only to assist Ukraine in its war against the war criminals and terrorists from Russia but also to properly protect countries that are under the biggest threat of Russian imperialism. Moreover, FYEG supports Finland and Sweden’s wishes to join NATO, as that will make the Baltic Sea region safer.

FYEG understands that NATO as an intergovernmental alliance is an organization that has the power to defend countries from Russian (or any other) aggression and the possibility of a full-scale world war, prevent the threat of a nuclear attack that would cause irreparable disaster to the world, and thereafter control the non-use of weapons of mass destruction. In an unstable world situation, threatened by full-scale war, we must use all mechanisms to ensure peace and global collective security

FYEG understands that NATO as an intergovernmental alliance is an organization that has the power to defend countries from Russian (or any other) aggression and the possibility of a full-scale world war, prevent the threat of a nuclear attack that would cause irreparable disaster to the world, and thereafter control the non-use of weapons of mass destruction. In an unstable world situation, threatened by full-scale war, we must use all mechanisms to ensure peace and global collective security

For now, NATO is not capable of providing peace and of reacting in an adequate way to threats to global security, therefore we demand the creation of a strong institution in the alliance system that focuses exclusively on conflict prevention and resolution as well as ensuring peace and global security. That's why we are also in favor of fair regulatory mechanisms for NATO that will prevent the USA or any other country from taking one-sided decisions, as well as ensuring democratic ways of resolving internal problems and conflicts. We believe that a strong structure and regulatory mechanisms will also enable us to control the level of militarization of countries and avoid subsequent wars and armed conflicts. One of the core values of the Greens is non-violence, so we believe that with the great threat of aggression from a Russian (or any other) imperialist government, we must first defend peace in all countries.

For now, NATO is not capable of providing peace and of reacting in an adequate way to threats to global security, therefore we demand the creation of a strong institution in the alliance system that focuses exclusively on conflict prevention and resolution as well as ensuring peace and global security. That's why we are also in favor of fair regulatory mechanisms for NATO that will prevent the USA or any other country from taking one-sided decisions, as well as ensuring democratic ways of resolving internal problems and conflicts.In parallel, we demand the creation of a strong institution in the future European Defense Mechanism that focuses exclusively on conflict prevention and resolution as well as ensuring peace and global security. The United States of America or any other single country must be prevented at all costs from using the future European Defense Mechanism for their own purposes and democratic ways of resolving internal problems and conflicts must be guaranteed. We believe that a strong structure and regulatory mechanisms will also enable us to control the level of militarization of countries and avoid subsequent wars and armed conflicts. One of the core values of the Greens is non-violence, so we believe that with the great threat of aggression from a Russian (or any other) imperialist government, we must first defend peace in all countries.